Disneyland chef gets award for longest tenure

ANAHEIM – In a reserved leather chair in the front row, chef Oscar Martinez was flanked by some of the top Disneyland executives in the park's history.

They and 150 others were there to honor Martinez -- the longest-working employee of any Disney park.

Martinez received Friday a first-ever award for working 55 years at Disneyland during a private party. Martinez is one of just six employees of the Walt Disney Co. who have ever worked 55 years.

"I'm really surprised," Martinez said about the celebration after the award presentation. "I thought it was going to be a few people."

Martinez began his job as a busboy at Disneyland 17 months after the park opened. For more than four decades, Martinez, a cook, has donned his chef's hat at the Carnation Cafe on Main Street U.S.A. In the past few years, he mostly has served as an ambassador, waving to guests on Main Street and chatting up diners at the cafe that serves his signature potatoes.

Some come just to see Martinez.

On Friday morning, Martinez beamed as he took a break from his job for the party, a day after his 55th anniversary. Top Disney officials gave anecdotes about Martinez before presenting a unique award with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Matt Gray, Disneyland's general manager of food and beverage and Martinez's boss, recalled when Martinez tried to teach him how to cook eggs while Gray was in management training.

"He said, 'I hope you will be a good manager, because you don't cook so good,'" Gray said.

Mary Niven, now vice president of Disney California Adventure, said she was assigned to meet Martinez on her second day on the job, even before she met with her boss. She quickly realized why.

"You embody everything that you want a cast member to be," Niven said.

She often seeks out Martinez when she's having "one of those days" to get cheered up.

Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis said he recently saw a mother with her children stop in front of the Carnation Cafe to see if they could spot Martinez's hat before going to eat there.

"The relationship that you have with guests is something I've never ever seen," Kalogridis said.

After the presentation, Martinez posed for pictures with a stream of guests with his award. He said he hasn't decided when he will retire.